Stark Tower
Fictional history The Stark Tower Complex was built as a world-class financial and business facility to complement Midtown Manhattan's business district. The building was completed as a gleaming beacon of modern architecture after four years of excavation and construction. It is located in the vicinity of Manhattan's Columbus Circle approximately 10 blocks north of the Baxter Building, headquarters of the superhero team the Fantastic Four. While initially intending to use the top three floors of the Main Tower as his state-of-the-art bachelor pad, Stark gave them over to the Avengers as their base of operations after their former base, Avengers Mansion, was destroyed. Longtime caretaker of the Avengers Mansion Edwin Jarvis was asked to resume his duties in the new location. Later, when The Sentry became a member of the Avengers, his long-hidden Watchtower appeared, integrating itself atop the Main Tower1, fully integrated into the building's existing architecture. Serving as both Sentry's headquarters and as the private residences of Robert Reynolds and his wife Lindy, the 20-story watchtower is operated and maintained by CLOC (Centrally Located Organic Computer), a near-sentient computer of Sentry's own design. The lower levels of the Main Tower, along with both the South and North Buildings, are largely occupied with Stark's subsidiaries and non-profit organizations. After the passing of the Superhuman Registration Act (SRA), Iron Man was tapped to head the task force charged with enforcing the Act. Subsequently, Stark Tower became the base of operations of the task force. The controversy surrounding the SRA broke the Avengers team apart leaving Tony Stark to form a new team, the Mighty Avengers, who continue to occupy the Main Tower's higher levels. When the Tower became the headquarters of the SRA task force, it was assigned by the government a squad of Cape-Killer guards with the call sign Force Unit 9.23 During the events of World War Hulk, a violent battle between The Hulk and Iron Man nearly caused the collapse of Stark Tower4. The tower was rebuilt by Stark under his S.H.I.E.L.D. organization, making it S.H.I.E.L.D. property. Stark Tower becomes the setting for a multi-issue conflict between humans and a murderous Skrull hunting them for sport. During the "Secret Invasion", many non-powered New York citizens, including Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich, end up at Stark Tower. Unfortunately, it had become the hunting ground for a Skrull. He is shown killing most of the members of a design firm that had rented space in the building. Ben Urich regains control of the security shutters and the Skrull is tricked into throwing itself out a high window. It dies on impact. 5 After Norman Osborn took over S.H.I.E.L.D. and renamed it H.A.M.M.E.R. he took ownership of the Tower because Stark used S.H.I.E.L.D. money to rebuild it, thus it became property of H.A.M.M.E.R.6. Other media Video games Stark Tower is a base and level in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance video game. After the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier UNN Alpha is damaged by the attack of Dr. Doom's Masters of Evil, Tony Stark offers his property as a provisional base of operations. The heroes are based there up until the mission in the Valley of Spirits, from where they relocate to Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum. Later, towards the end of the game, the heroes return to a Doom-warped version of Stark Tower (dubbed "Doomstark" in the game), where the player must assist Nick Fury on fighting hordes of Iron Man-like drones sent by Doom, and prepare for the upcoming battle in Doom's Castle in Latveria. In a cut scene, Stark states that there are 40 stories in this version of the tower. Also, his lab complex becomes available for navigation after beating the Omega Base mission. Stark Tower is a full level in The Punisher. Frank Castle infiltrates it after learning that the Eternal Sun gang wants to steal some high-tech technology from the tower. Iron Man appears after Punisher's departure, watching the huge mess the mafia and the vigilante caused. Stark Tower is also a landmark in The Incredible Hulk and can be destroyed. Stark Tower is featured in Spider-Man: Web of Shadows. It is minor at first, in which player can visit the spot. Later on, it is one of the most important areas, in which the building is the safest possible area (besides Wilson Fisk Industries, which is later on another safe zone) due to the symbiote invasion. During that time, Stark Tower serves as a rescue shelter and a temporary hospital. Black Widow and S.H.I.E.L.D. use Stark Tower as the safe zone of civilians and boot camp of S.H.I.E.L.D. Spider-Man could rescue civilians and place the civilians at the safe zone besides Security Domes. All S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, caravans, airships and un-infected civilians are located there. To ensure its' safety, electric fences are barricaded there, which could un-infect a symbiote creature. Black Widow tells about their safezone and plan to Spider-Man and a released Tinkerer. At one part of the story, it is under attack by Zombie Symbiote and Slasher Symbiotes who try to open the barriers. Spider-Man helps defeat the Zombie Symbiotes while S.H.I.E.L.D. loads all the civilians into aircrafts. One barrier opens, so Berserker Symbiotes attack. Spider-Man calls in an airstrike. The airstrike eliminates the symbiotes and Stark Tower is safe once again. Stark Tower appears in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 as the main hub during Act 1, and as the hub for Iron Man's Pro-Registration side during Act 2. Its layout is identical to how it appeared in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, but does not allow entry into Iron Man's lab complex. Toys Stark Tower features as a location in Marvel's VS System trading card game. Bibliography Mighty Avengers: Most Wanted Files - Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe one-shot (June 2007)